NHRC 'helpless' before the government
Chairman of National Human Rights Commission Nayan Bahadur Khattri has expressed his disability to take urgent action against government's intervention in peaceful demonstration of political parties, reports said.
Responding to the CPN-UML's call to thwart possible government intervention in its proposed mass meeting in the capital on December 2, Chairman Khattri said that the fundamental rights of the people, right to take part in peaceful protest programs and organize meetings and freedom of movement were ensured by the laws and the constitution, adding, "But when the concerned authority, which should protect and ensure these rights, violates them by creating hindrances, what can we do?"
"You know everything about it, whether it is possible to ask the government to remove such obstacles or not. Nevertheless, NHRC will take after these cases seriously and speak in favor of fundamental rights, "reports quoted him as saying.
Handing over a memorandum to NHRC Chairman Khatri at his office on Sunday, CPN-UML Standing Committee member Bamdev Gautam said that as the party has begun necessary preparations to organize a peaceful mass meeting in New Baneshwor, the government has started taking steps to prevent people from entering the capital from surrounding districts by using the local administration, security forces and its 'vigilantes'.
The government has warned transport entrepreneurs against providing buses to transport protestors.
The UML urged the NHRC to monitor and prevent possible interventions, obstacles and repressive activities by the government, so as to protect the rights of the people to gather in peaceful assembly, Gautam said.
The government had created various obstacles in earlier mass meetings of the party organized in regional and zonal level. The proposed meeting is part of the seven-party alliance's awareness campaign for total democracy in the country. nepalnews.com pb Nov 28 05
